Mayor Rod Campbell's blog

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Youth Theatre & BEDS

02 September 2010

Bendigo Youth Theatre

Alison and I attended the performance of the Bendigo Youth Theatre being Disney's production of Beauty and the Beast at the Crook Street Community Hall recently. We were extremely impressed by the Nexus Community Theatre group, the standard of the performance was truly amazing. I would like to congratulate all the participants and to Julie Lovell the Director for the production. It is a pity more people don’t attend these events and all of the students were outstanding!

BEDS (Bendigo Executive and Directors Sleep Out) Event

Last Wednesday was a great day for Bendigo because instead of having the usual Mayoral Charity Ball we had a different sort of ball. This time out on the cold lawns of the park opposite the Municipal Offices. Why? Because we wanted to draw attention to the plight of homeless and disadvantage folk in this City. How? Well, with the cooperation of St Luke's Anglicare and Strategm working with the City of Greater Bendigo staff we had a sleep out were approximately 130 people many of whom were business Executives and Directors donated for the privilege of a night sleeping out on the lawns. It is pleasing to note that students from Bendigo Senior Secondary College and Catholic College worked hard to raise funds to enable them to participate in the sleep out. Whilst this was perhaps only symbolic of the hardships faced by people who have to sleep rough through no real fault of their own, it did give some idea of hardships of sub-zero temperature sleeping out. Three young people who had experienced homelessness and who had benefited from the excellent work of St Luke's addressed the participants and gave strong incites into the difficulty associated with homelessness and some of the contributing factors. More importantly, it drew focused attention on the issue and provided much needed funds to help St Luke's deal with the problem. Approximately $60,000 was raised towards helping people who find themselves such awkward circumstances.

Cr Rod Campbell

Mayor

*PHOTO used for feature image by BILL CONROY 2009

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BEDS

31 May 2010

I AM DELIGHTED TO LAUNCH BEDS 2010. THIS IS A FUNDRAISING FIRST FOR BENDIGO AND A FANTASTIC INTIATIVE. IT IS THEREFORE WITH GREAT PRIDE THAT I ANNOUNCE THAT I AM SUPPORTING BEDS AS MY MAYORAL CHARITY EVENT FOR 2010.

OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS THE MAYOR OF THE DAY HAS HOSTED A MAYORAL CHARITY BALL TO RAISE MONEY FOR A LOCAL WORTHY CAUSE. THIS YEAR I HAVE DECIDED THAT INSTEAD OF HOLDING A MAYORAL BALL THAT I WOULD PREFER TO LEND MY SUPPORT TO THE BEDS FUNDRAISER. I AM DOING THIS BECAUSE IT WILL NOT ONLY HELP TO RAISE MONEY FOR A WORTHWHILE CHARITY BUT IT WILL ALSO HELP TO CREATE A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HOMELESS.

THE BEDS INTIATIVE HAS TWO SIMPLE AIMS.

THE FIRST IS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF YOUTH ISSUES AND HOMELESSNESS, IN BENDIGO AND THE SECOND IS TO RAISE FUNDS TO HELP ST LUKES HOUSE THE 40-70 YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED EMERGENCY AND TRANSITIONAL ACCOMMODATION EVERY NIGHT OF THE YEAR.

YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IS AN ISSUE FOR ALL OF US AND IT TAKES PLACE IN MANY AUSTRALIAN CITIES AND TOWNS.

THIS INITIATIVE WILL ALSO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AND BUSINESS EXECUTIVES TO EXPERIENCE IN A SMALL WAY, THE HARDSHIP AND UNFORTUNANTE CIRCUMSTANCES FACED BY PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES WITH NOWHERE TO LIVE AND SLEEP.

BEDS WILL ALSO PROMOTE THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY.

I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO WILL ASSIST BEDS WITH A $5,000 CONTRIBUTION AND I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE ST LUKES AND STRATEGEM FINANCIAL GROUP FOR PARTNERING TOGETHER ON THIS WONDERFUL FIRST FOR BENDIGO.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWELDGE ALL OF THE SPONSORS WHO ARE ALREADY BEHIND THIS EVENT INCLUDING STRATEGEM FINANCIAL GROUP, BENDIGO ADVERTISER, CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO, HAPPY LANDING, FILTHY MONKEY, THE WEB COMPANY, GREAT IDEAS, HORIZON HOUSE, ROTARY CLUB OF BENDIGO SANDHURST, ESE CONSULTING AND THE GREEN OLIVE

BEFORE I FINISH I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS AND BUSINESS EXECUTIVES TO JOIN MYSELF AND THE DIRECTORS OF THE CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO WHO HAVE ALL SIGNALLED THEIR INTENTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS IMPORTANT EVENT.

IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE THE CIVIC GARDENS FILLED WITH AS MANY LOCAL BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AS POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY JULY 21.

THANK YOU

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